Esmeraldas City

Unlike many of the Esmeraldas beaches further south, the city of Esmeraldas itself is shabby industrial port, where all sorts of cargos, including oil and minerals are shipped to and from other ports in Ecuador. The city and its port are at the mouth of Rio Esmeraldas which has a massive delta.

If you are coming from Quito looking for a nice beach, you will pass through Esmeraldas. Don’t stop. The city of Esmeraldas is unfortunately neither interesting nor safe. With a population of about 170,000 people, the city is crowded and the streets are chaotic. It is also extremely hot and humid which can be quite unbearable during the rainy season.

The city has a small international airport (General Enrique Rivadeneira), which is located the other side of the Rio Esmeraldas. Along the river are mangroves and lots of bird habitats. However the river is quite polluted from city sewage running into it from the large number of homes that do not have a proper sewage system.

The closest beach is Las Palmas, which at weekends and special events is as filthy and crowded as the streets of the town.

Beach activities include:

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• Facts
• Attractions
• Hotels

Type of beach	Golden sand
Length of beach	0.9 mi / 1.5 km
Wind Direction	On-shore
Restaurants and Cafes	Lots in the city
Distance to Salinas	337 mi / 542 km
Distance to Guayaquil	271 mi / 437 km
Distance to Manta	217 mi / 349 km
Distance to Quito	194 mi / 312 km

Bird Watching: At the river delta and along the Rio Esmeraldas

Music and Dance:Enjoy the Afro-Ecuadorean rhythms and Samba dancing.

Hotels and Hostals around Esmeraldas City

Logo	Name	Service	Prices
	Hostal Sultana de Los Andes	Hostal	$10-20
	Hotel Roma	Hotel	$10-20
	Residencial Zulema	Hotel	$10-20
	Hostal Estefania	Hotel	$10-20
	Hostal El Cisne	Hotel	$15-25
	Hotel Casino Palm Beach	Hotel	$25-50
	Hotel Perla Verde	Hotel	$25-50
	Hotel Colon Palace	Hotel	$50-100